Battle of Yamazaki

The Battle of Yamazaki occurred in 1582 during the Sengoku period. The battle saw Hideyoshi Toyotomi defeat Mitsuhide Akechi, avenging Akechi's murder of their lord Nobunaga Oda and taking Nobunaga's authority and power for himself.

In June 1582, Mitsuhide Akechi seized power in a military coup in Kyoto and forced Nobunaga Oda, the most powerful ruler in the land, to commit seppuku. Thirteen days later, Hideyoshi returned from his campaign against the Mori in the west to avenge Nobunaga's death by bringing Mitsuhide to battle. The two armies met in battle at Yamazaki in Yamashiro Province.

Hideyoshi's men formed along the Enmyoji River, across from Mitsuhide's army, and Masachika Matsuda and Kamon Nabika led some Akechi forces across the river. They were repelled by arquebus fire, and Hideyoshi launched his right wing, under Mitsuyasu Kato and Tsuneoki Ikeda, to attack Mitsuhide's front lines. They were soon joined by the left wing atop Mount Tenno, and the majority of Mitsuhide's men fled, and the Akechi army fell back to Shoryuji. Mitsuhide himself fled to Ogurusu, where he was killed by a gang of bandits. Hideyoshi's victory ended Mitsuhide's usurpation of power and allowed for Hideyoshi to inherit Nobunaga's power.